Apparatus for studying illumination



1943; E. HUMPHREYS 2,328,456

APPARATUS FOR STUDYING ILLUMINATION Filed Nov. 15, 1942 2 Shasta-Sheet l W 7am,

A 7' OE/KEY 1943- E. HUMPHREYS 2,328,456

APPARATUS FOR: STUDYING ILLUMINATION Filed Nov. 15, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTOEIYEY' Patented Aug. 31, 1943 APPARATUS FOR STUDYING ILLUMINATION Ellis .Humphreys, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to Mississippi Glass Company, St. Louis, Ma, a corporation of New York Application November 13, 1942, Serial No. 465,432

7 Claims.

An object of this invention is to provide apparatus for testing and/or demonstrating illumination under a variety of conditions.

More particularly, the invention provides means for readily trying out various details of construction of a contemplated building in order to determine the most desirable arrangements for daylight illumination.

Further and other objects and advantages will be apparent from the specification and claims, and from the accompanying drawings which illustrate what are now considered to be the preferred embodiments of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an isometric view of the device;

Fig. 2 is a schematic cross-section of one of the illuminating units; and

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but illustrating a modification.

In the drawings I is a model of a building which may have a removable roof l2 with an observation opening M on the rear thereof. This roof may be replaced by another, representing any desired type, such as monitor, saw-tooth, flat roof with curb skylights, etc., each having an observation opening H.

The front sides of the roofs and the front walls of the building are provided with openings 16. In the roof these openings represent skylights or the like and in the side walls they represent ordinary wall sash or any other type of suitable window opening. Each opening H5 is provided with a guide I B on each side thereof and a bottom stop for holding pieces of glass or other material cut to proper size and shape. Division bars in the form of wire rods 22 may be placed in openings l6 if desired.

In order to simulate sunlight, sources of parallel light rays are provided as shown, for instance, in Fig. 2, in which 24 is an electric bulb preferably having a small filament, from which the light passes through lenses such as 26, 28 to emerge as parallel rays 30. Each unit is enclosed in a box or tube 32 closed at the end behind the lamp. A reflector 34 may be placed behind the lamp if desired. The wiring is conventional and therefore is not illustrated.

In model Ill, as illustrated, there are three openings IS in the side wall, and a roof opening directly above each wall opening. There are three light units 32 mounted in a housing 36, 38 and spaced apart horizontally to correspond with the spacing of openings l6, each unit being aligned with one of the openings.

Housing 36, 38 is pivotally supported by trunnions 40 in'arms 42 which are mounted to swing upwardly in an are about studs 44. A coil spring 46 around each trunnion holds the housing impositively, by friction, in any position to which it may be manually adjusted relatively to arms 42.

Arms 42 may be held in any adjusted position by links'flfi pivotally connected at 50 to arms 52, the other ends of links 48 being guided horizontally by tracks 52 in the ends of base 54 on which the apparatus is mounted. A thumb screw 56 serves to lock in any adjusted position, links 48, arms 42 and the lamp housing.

In operation, base 54 is placed on a horizontal table or bench. Pointer 58 pivotally supported at 60 and held vertical by its pendulous weight 62 will indicate on scale 64, the angle of the rays from the horizontal.

In use, the light source is illuminated and elevated and tipped to the desired elevation and angle. As shown in the illustration, the position of the light source, substantially horizonta would, for the purpose of the device, duplicate the light received from the sun on the side wall of a building facing west at sundown. Similarly, by elevating and tipping the light source, other sunlight conditions can be simulated, both in respect to the side-wall opening and the openings in whichever type of roof may be in place.

Through the observation opening in the roof, or through the top of the building itself if no roof be in place and the side-Wall openings are being considered, the effects of different types of glass in the Window openings may be observed.

For instance, if the side-wall openings are being considered, and if no glass is interposed, or if clear glass is used in the guides, it will be seen that bright spots of light, crossed by the dark shadows of the bars 22, are projected upon the floor, or rear wall, or both, in the interior of the building. It is graphically recognizable that this bright and dark illumination is not good for most types of industrial working. A pencil may be held inside the building representing a building column, and the effect of the shadow it casts may be noted. By inserting diiierent types of configurated glasses in the windows, it can be demonstrated how the light can be diffused, shadows eliminated and bright spots removed. By inserting a piece of opaque material in one of the openings, it can be demonstrated how the interior of the building can still be adequately illuminated by the use of ribbed or prism glass in the remaining openings. It can thus be shown that good daylight illumination can be obtained In Fig. 3, there is illustrated a modification which is sometimes preferable to the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Referring to Fig. 3, the model i l of the building is similar to that shown in Fig. 1, except that it is shown provided with two front windows and two skylights and is secured to a turn table l3 rotatably mounted in the central portion of the circular base l5 about the vertical axis of the latter. The base [5 is peripherally calibrated or provided with indicia representing the points of the compass. west diameter of the base 55, a semi-circular bail [1, having a radius slightly larger than that of the base 15, is pivotally connected at its opposite ends to the edge or periphery of the base. The lamp housing l9, containing two illuminating devices such as those shown at 3-2 in Figs. 1 and 2, is mounted for sliding movement along the bail I! so as to direct its parallel rays radially of the bail and toward the model I I. This slidable connection is effected by means of a clip or bracket 2| secured to the rear of the lamp housing l9 and frictionally gripping the opposite edges of the bail i! so as impositively to lock the housing 59 in any position of adjustment along the bail. The bail ii is calibrated, or provided with timerepresenting indicia as shown, to facilitate adjustment of the light source l9 in accordance with positions of the sun during the daytime. In order to adjust the bail l1 and its sun-simulating housing 19 for different latitudes (on one side of the equator) a quadrant-shaped arcuate strip 23 having a radius slightly larger than that of the base is pivotally connected to the edge of the base l5 at the south position of the latter. The bail IT has a bracket or clamp secured thereto through which the strip 23 slides and a manually operable set screw 21 is provided in th bracket for clamping the bail I! to the strip 23 in any one of the selected positions along the strip 23. The quadrant-shaped strip 23 is calibrated, or provided with indicia showing latitude from 0 at its free end to 90 at, or adjacent to its p votal connection to the base Hi. It will be noted that the clip 2! and the bracket 25 are so constructed that the clip may be slid past the bracket.

When the apparatus is not in use, the bail I! may be disengaged from the strip 23, the housing I9 slid to the uppermost position on the bail, and the bail housing may then be swung rearwardly and downwardly until the housing rests upon the base IS. The disengaged strip 23 may then be swung about its pivot to a position in which it lies wholly along the edge of the base iii. The extra roofs may then be laid on the base on the side of the model H opposite the housing 29. Thus. when not in use, the structure is compact and storage. carrying and shipment facilitated. The folded apparatus may be readily and conveniently carried in a cylindrical carrying case (not shown) having an inside diameter slightly greater than the base !5 and an inside height slightly greater than the height of the model ll plus the thickness of the base.

In use, the model ii may be given. any desired On the eastexposure by virtue of its being mounted on the turntable 13. The turntable is impositively held by friction in any selected position. The lightsource [9 is adjustable together with the bail l1 about the pivotal axis of the latter by unscrewing the set-screw 2'1, sliding the clamp along the strip 23 to the desired position (selected according to the latitude of the particular place of use), and then held in that position by tightening the screw 21. The light source it may also be readily shifted along the bail l1 (representing the apparent path of the sun on some particular day of the year in accordance with the suns position at different times during the day. While the apparatus shown in Fig. 3 is not absolutely accurate except for a certain location at a certain time each year, it is sufiiciently accurate and satisfactorily operative for its intended purposes and uses.

Figs. 1 and 2, and the description thereof herein, are the same as in my application Serial No. 432,754, filed February 28, 1942, in the United States Patent Office, entitled Device for studying illumination, and of which the present application is a continuation in part.

It is understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiment herein illustrated and described, but may be used in other ways without departur from its spirit as defined by the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for studying the daylight illumination of the interior of a proposed building through its windows, comprising means for sup porting a model of the building with openings for said windows, in combination with means for directing parallel rays of light through said openings into said model, said model having an observation opening in the rear thereof.

2. The invention set forth in claim 1 in which said openings are provided with means for supporting therein various kinds of glass or the like, for the purpose set forth.

3. Apparatus for studying the daylight illumination of the interior of a proposed building through its windows, comprising means for supporting a model of the building with openings for said windows, in combination with means for supporting an illuminating device adapted for directing parallel rays of light into said model through said window openings, said device being adjustable in position for simulating sunlight conditions for any daylight hour.

4. Apparatus for studying the daylight illumination of th interior or a proposed building through its windows and comprising, in combination, a model of the building with openings for said windows, and means for supporting an illuminating device adapted for directing parallel rays of light into said model through said window openings, said device being adjustable in position for simulating sunlight conditions for any daylight hour, said supporting means including a bail representing an apparent path of the sun.

5. Apparatus for studying the daylight illumination of the interior of a proposed building through its windows and comprising, in combination, a model of the building with openings for said windows, and means for supporting an illuminating device adapted for directing parallel rays of light into said model through said window openings, said device being adjustable in position for simulating sunlight conditions for any daylight hour, said supporting means including a pivotally mounted bail representing an apparent path of the sun and adjustabl about its pivotal axis in accordance with latitude.

6. The invention set forth in claim 1 in which supporting means, including a bail representing an apparent path of th sun, are provided for supporting the source of light.

7. Apparatus for studying the daylight illumination of the interior of a proposed building through its windows and comprising, in combi- 10 nation, a model of the building with openings for said Windows, a base upon which said model may be turned about a vertical axis for different exposures, a bail representing an apparent path of the sun pivotally connected to said base, a sun-simulating source of light slidably mounted on said bail, and means whereby said bail may be held i Various positions of adjustment about its pivotal axis in accordance with latitude.

ELLIS HUMPHREYS. 

